Although we are most familiar with cellular phones, there is a whole different breed of portable phones some people are not aware even exist. While cell phones rely on towers to transmit voice signals, satellite phones transmit through a variety of satellites in the sky.
Because they rely on satellites, these phones can work even in places where cell phones can’t. This gives them the advantage for people who travel, like to hike or hunt in places not covered by cell phone service, or people who have businesses that take them or their colleagues to remote locations often. These phones give you the peace of mind you can always be reached or reach someone if needed.
GlobalStar began offering its services in late 1999. This main premise behind their company is that nearly 50 percent of the world is without phone service. This accounts both for landline phones and cellular phones. The satellite phone is marketed toward anyone who often visits remote areas either for work or leisure purposes. These phones offer a means to communicate with the rest of the world even if you are miles from nowhere.
Satellite phones are similar to cellular phones and can even be used as cell phones when service is available. Generally, satellite phones are a little larger than the traditional cell phone because they require a larger antenna. This satellite antenna must be within sight of the main satellite in order for the phone to work. This means you can not use the phones indoors when in the satellite mode.
If you are thinking about investing in one of these phones, remember, good things don't come cheap. One of these satellite phones can set you back as much as $2500 for a fixed phone. A fixed phone is one you plan to install somewhere such as a cruise ship, personal boat or temporary office.
If you don't have quite that much to spend on a phone, you can pick up a handheld, portable model for about $700. If you only need a phone for a short period of time, local dealers often have phones available for rent. Check with a dealer in your area for rental charges.
Remember, the price of the phone includes only the phone - airtime packages are extra. These packages include multiple choices for voice services as well as fax and data options.
If you are willing to sign a contract stating you will use their services through June of 2010, you can get a discounted loyalty rate from GlobalStar. If not, you can expect to spend anywhere from $350 and up each year for programming for your phone. Reliability does come at a cost!
If you need a phone more reliable than even a cell phone, you might check out the option of a satellite phone. While these phones do give you the ability to communicate from where ever you may be, they also come with a fairly hefty price tag when compared to other phone services.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Satellite phone service
Providing government, business and residential customers with the power of satellite driven communications, the Iridium satellite phone service is one of the industry leaders in using this technology. The company is noted as being the service provider for the United States Department of Defense, which happens to speak well for the advances that have been made in satellite communications technology over the past few decades.
Rather than rely on giant dishes and impossible to use devices, companies like Iridium satellite phone service have managed to shrink the technology to more usable forms. The satellite phones in use today tend to operate and look more like regular land lines or even cell phones, but the power that backs them is much greater.
The Iridium satellite phone company, for example, operates using about 66 low-earth orbiting satellites. These devices are cross-linked to provide as seamless of coverage as possible for customers that are quite broad ranging. Thanks to its massive satellite installation, Iridium is considered the owner of the biggest satellite constellation in the entire world. The company tends to cater to business and government clients, but its applications are also favored by many residential customers who live in out of the way places.
As the Iridium system becomes more sound and reliable, more businesses and even residential customers are turning to this company to provide their voice and data transfer solutions. Industries that benefit from satellite phone service, include:
Defense: When telephone lines go down, satellites don't. This is the reason why government agencies such as the Department of Defense rely on companies like Iridium. It's not a good idea for the defense department to lose contact with its key employees. Satellites help make sure this doesn't happen.
Shipping: Many maritime companies rely on satellite phones for their coverage areas and convenience. Not relying on cell towers to power them, these phones are ideal for shipping companies that have vessels traveling in and out of remote regions.
Aviation: There aren't landlines on airplanes, but there are satellite phones. These devices work above and beyond regular radio frequencies to keep passengers and pilots in touch with the ground. Whether it's commercial aviation or government related, satellite phones are fast becoming the communication tool of choice.
Transportation: We've all heard the horror stories about going through the mountains and losing cell phone service. Transportation companies that rely on satellite phone services, such as Iridium, do so to prevent this eventuality. When staying in constant touch is important, companies such as the Iridium satellite phone service are a good way to go.
Emergency services: Agencies that provide emergency and humanitarian services in remote locations are turning to satellite phone service to ensure their worker have constant contact with each other and their home offices. Since satellite phones can offer virtual worldwide coverage, they provide a sound solution where the might be nothing else.
As technology marches forward so too does the reliability and effectiveness of satellite technology. Powering communications for government and industry, the satellite phone services provided by companies like Iridium are become the way business gets done.
Rather than rely on giant dishes and impossible to use devices, companies like Iridium satellite phone service have managed to shrink the technology to more usable forms. The satellite phones in use today tend to operate and look more like regular land lines or even cell phones, but the power that backs them is much greater.
The Iridium satellite phone company, for example, operates using about 66 low-earth orbiting satellites. These devices are cross-linked to provide as seamless of coverage as possible for customers that are quite broad ranging. Thanks to its massive satellite installation, Iridium is considered the owner of the biggest satellite constellation in the entire world. The company tends to cater to business and government clients, but its applications are also favored by many residential customers who live in out of the way places.
As the Iridium system becomes more sound and reliable, more businesses and even residential customers are turning to this company to provide their voice and data transfer solutions. Industries that benefit from satellite phone service, include:
Defense: When telephone lines go down, satellites don't. This is the reason why government agencies such as the Department of Defense rely on companies like Iridium. It's not a good idea for the defense department to lose contact with its key employees. Satellites help make sure this doesn't happen.
Shipping: Many maritime companies rely on satellite phones for their coverage areas and convenience. Not relying on cell towers to power them, these phones are ideal for shipping companies that have vessels traveling in and out of remote regions.
Aviation: There aren't landlines on airplanes, but there are satellite phones. These devices work above and beyond regular radio frequencies to keep passengers and pilots in touch with the ground. Whether it's commercial aviation or government related, satellite phones are fast becoming the communication tool of choice.
Transportation: We've all heard the horror stories about going through the mountains and losing cell phone service. Transportation companies that rely on satellite phone services, such as Iridium, do so to prevent this eventuality. When staying in constant touch is important, companies such as the Iridium satellite phone service are a good way to go.
Emergency services: Agencies that provide emergency and humanitarian services in remote locations are turning to satellite phone service to ensure their worker have constant contact with each other and their home offices. Since satellite phones can offer virtual worldwide coverage, they provide a sound solution where the might be nothing else.
As technology marches forward so too does the reliability and effectiveness of satellite technology. Powering communications for government and industry, the satellite phone services provided by companies like Iridium are become the way business gets done.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Satellite Phone Systems And Communications
Satellite phone systems are now getting popular because of the need for people to communicate even from the remote corner of the world. Communication is taking new strides of its own and mere cable connections and radio lines are not able to satisfy the growing need for wider coverage.
Satellite phone systems are now necessary, because the cable lines cannot be fixed to all the parts of the earth and the bandwidth of radio frequencies, which connected most of the parts on the surface of the earth, is exhausted. The satellite phone systems include Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites. LEO satellites are preferred to geo stationary satellites because the latter introduces delay. This delay introduced by geo stationary satellite can vary with the distance at which it is placed. The least delay is about 0.5 seconds and this is a major disadvantage of geo stationary satellites so we go in for LEO satellites that have become a part and parcel of the satellite phone systems.
The system of satellite phones include not a single LEO satellite, but a constellation of LEO satellites, this is done because the LEO satellites are placed close to the earth and so they revolve faster than the earth making them invisible at times. So when one satellite is moving out of the horizon, another LEO satellite comes up close by to receive the calls.
The technology implemented by the satellite phones depends on the type of service providers like GlobalStar systems and Iridium systems. Satellite phone systems also include the various techniques used for the transmission of data, be it audio or video signals.
Some companies like the Iridium uses time division multiple access scheme to increase the number of calls that can be attended. It has satellite-to-satellite connections as a part of the phone systems thus handsets work directly with the satellites. Another satellite phones system, the GlobalStar implements new digital technology called code division multiple access and satellites for attending the traffic of calls.
In this system, satellites are used only as relay stations that is, they receive and forward calls to the gateways on the earth and the call reaches the public switched telephone network. Regardless of the technology used, the main aim of the satellite phone systems and service providers is to keep their customers in contact wherever they go.
Satellite phone systems are now necessary, because the cable lines cannot be fixed to all the parts of the earth and the bandwidth of radio frequencies, which connected most of the parts on the surface of the earth, is exhausted. The satellite phone systems include Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites. LEO satellites are preferred to geo stationary satellites because the latter introduces delay. This delay introduced by geo stationary satellite can vary with the distance at which it is placed. The least delay is about 0.5 seconds and this is a major disadvantage of geo stationary satellites so we go in for LEO satellites that have become a part and parcel of the satellite phone systems.
The system of satellite phones include not a single LEO satellite, but a constellation of LEO satellites, this is done because the LEO satellites are placed close to the earth and so they revolve faster than the earth making them invisible at times. So when one satellite is moving out of the horizon, another LEO satellite comes up close by to receive the calls.
The technology implemented by the satellite phones depends on the type of service providers like GlobalStar systems and Iridium systems. Satellite phone systems also include the various techniques used for the transmission of data, be it audio or video signals.
Some companies like the Iridium uses time division multiple access scheme to increase the number of calls that can be attended. It has satellite-to-satellite connections as a part of the phone systems thus handsets work directly with the satellites. Another satellite phones system, the GlobalStar implements new digital technology called code division multiple access and satellites for attending the traffic of calls.
In this system, satellites are used only as relay stations that is, they receive and forward calls to the gateways on the earth and the call reaches the public switched telephone network. Regardless of the technology used, the main aim of the satellite phone systems and service providers is to keep their customers in contact wherever they go.
Phone Plans By Satellite Phone Service
Satellite phone service providers offer various phone plans to their customers to make their mark known. The satellite phone plans should be selected by the user to best suit his needs and requirements. There are prepaid phone plans, monthly plans, and hibernation plans offered by various satellite phone companies.
The various criterions that one should keep in mind is to first choose a satellite phone, then choose a satellite phone service provider and then choose a plan. You can choose between buying new or used satellite phones and renting one. Once you have chosen to buy, then you can select the provider. Satellite telecommunication companies present competitive plans and varied coverage zones. Before selecting any plan, you need to make sure the service provider offers coverage wherever you go and need to use your phone.
Many satellite phone service companies come up with novel package deals, prepaid calling cards, free e-mails, and free text messaging. Various plans charge the customers by the amount of minutes they use. Heavy users may use these phones a lot for communication, whereas light users use their phones sparingly. Thus these plans help customers pay only for what they have used and thus avoid a mandatory monthly bill.
The liberty plans are suitable for emergency management or seasonal customers who use phone lines only in certain situations, but their usage is highly important. Service plans of some satellite phone companies offer no fees for short messaging services and voice mails.
Certain satellite telecommunication companies also devise plans that provide no outgoing calls, but allow unlimited in coming calls. And there are express data phone plans that allow the user to transmit their data at high speeds. The normal transmission speed of data is 9.6 Kbps, but the express plan supplies its customers with 56 Kbps speed.
Burst plans are provided by satellite phone providers wherein there are incremental minutes that the user can use when he exceeds a certain limit of call minute or call costs. Hence, it acts like a bonus for heavy customers and they get a bonus from the calls they make and can use these extra minutes of service for free of cost.
The various criterions that one should keep in mind is to first choose a satellite phone, then choose a satellite phone service provider and then choose a plan. You can choose between buying new or used satellite phones and renting one. Once you have chosen to buy, then you can select the provider. Satellite telecommunication companies present competitive plans and varied coverage zones. Before selecting any plan, you need to make sure the service provider offers coverage wherever you go and need to use your phone.
Many satellite phone service companies come up with novel package deals, prepaid calling cards, free e-mails, and free text messaging. Various plans charge the customers by the amount of minutes they use. Heavy users may use these phones a lot for communication, whereas light users use their phones sparingly. Thus these plans help customers pay only for what they have used and thus avoid a mandatory monthly bill.
The liberty plans are suitable for emergency management or seasonal customers who use phone lines only in certain situations, but their usage is highly important. Service plans of some satellite phone companies offer no fees for short messaging services and voice mails.
Certain satellite telecommunication companies also devise plans that provide no outgoing calls, but allow unlimited in coming calls. And there are express data phone plans that allow the user to transmit their data at high speeds. The normal transmission speed of data is 9.6 Kbps, but the express plan supplies its customers with 56 Kbps speed.
Burst plans are provided by satellite phone providers wherein there are incremental minutes that the user can use when he exceeds a certain limit of call minute or call costs. Hence, it acts like a bonus for heavy customers and they get a bonus from the calls they make and can use these extra minutes of service for free of cost.
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